Promise
by Are We Human
Summary: Hermione has a nightmare. RHr.


_**Authors Note: **Just a short, oneshot Harry Potter romance/angst. I haven't done HP in agesss so I thought I'd write another one, just to keep up._

_xx_

_"Don't ever leave me ..."_

_"It's okay Hermione, I won't -"_

_"I love you ..."_

_"I know, Hermione, but Harry needs me -"_

_"You can't go!" _

_"I have to, Hermione, I'm sorry."_

_Hermione couldn't say anything. She was rooted to the spot, grabbing hold of him, trying to keep him firm in her grip. But Ron had to leave her, so that he could go off and duel alongside Harry with the Dark Lord. Hermione couldn't believe it, she was speechless. She needed him here, so why was he just leaving her now, after everything they'd been through together?_

_"I'll see you again soon," Ron assured her. He smiled, "Don't forget me, okay?"_

_"W-what do you mean?" Hermione stammered, tears spilling down her cheeks._

_"Look, I don't want to get you upset or anything," Ron said, wiping away her tears, "Just promise me that you'll be okay. Promise me now, Hermione."_

_"I - I promise." Hermione choked on the words, searching for the truth in Ron's words. His tone of voice had been steady, but there was something in his eyes that told her exactly what she needed to know. He wasn't coming back. He couldn't._

_"I'll miss you," Ron whispered softly to her, stroking her hair, "I'll think about you every single day." _

_"Th - Thanks," Hermione croaked, "Ron - I - I -"_

_"Don't do this to me, Hermione," Ron said sadly, shaking his head. Hermione saw tears rolling down his cheeks, but said nothing. "It's alright, I'll be fine. Just, don't make this harder then It already is. Saying goodbye to you stabs me like a thousand needles."_

_"It hurts me more ..." Hermione said quietly, shaking. Ron suddenly shook his head and grabbed hold of her._

_"Don't, Hermione," He said, his voice shaking, "I said, don't!" He said, shaking her violently, "Don't dare do this to me. Don't!" He stopped shaking her and stood back, "I won't forget you. Don't you dare forget me. Ever. I won't stop thinking about you, so don't stop thinking about me. But I promise I'll be alright. Just promise me you'll be alright too. You can't begin to understand how much It would kill me If something happened to you ..."_

_Hermione shook her head, her hands shaking. She began to cry, and so did he. For a long moment they held eachother, crying into one another's shoulders, and whispering to eachother. As Hermione held him, she knew for definate that this would be the last time she would see Ron Weasley alive._

_"I have to go now, Hermione ..." Ron rasped, not looking at her. He let go of her, and started towards the door. Hermione looked outside. People were running, just running in all directions. There were fires everywhere, nowhere was safe anymore. _

_"Bye ..." Ron said feebly, squeezing her hand and making to walk out of the door. Hermione grabbed him and kissed him hard on the lips, never wanting to let go of him. But Ron had to go, It was his duty to do this. She couldn't stop him. This was his dream._

_"Love you .." Hermione whispered, kissing him for one last time. _

_"Love you too." Ron said and, shaking uncontrollably, he let go of her, turned towards the door, and dissapeared into the night._

_As Hermione watched him go, she knew that that kiss they had just shared together had been their final kiss goodnight, and a kiss goodbye._

xx

She woke up screaming. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her face had gone white. Shaking uncontrollably, she tried to get out of bed, but Nurse's came running towards her. Trying to force them off, Hermione kicked and screamed, lashing out wildly. After she had been treated and the nurse's had left her bedside, she felt much better, though.

Hermione Granger sighed dreamily, her head tilting. She knew that, In a matter of seconds, the medicine that she had just been treated with would start to take effect and she would pass out, the room was already starting to go out of focus. Hermione concentrated hard, thinking about Ron. What had he been like? What had they used to do together? What about all the fun times they had had together?

She just couldn't remember. It was all gone. Hermione had gone mad after hearing about the death of Ron. It was like her brain had snapped in two, and she now found that she couldn't eat, sleep, she just couldn't _be _without Ron. He had been everything to her. Not just her husband, but also her best friend. Still shaking, Hermione pulled her duvet over her head, closing her eyes. The drowsyness was rushing towards her, but just before she dozed off, she felt a light tap on her shoulder.

Pulling off her duvet and sitting up, Hermione was amazed to find herself staring up at Ron Weasley. He smiled at her and touched her hand. Hermione reached out for him, but he was becoming more distant. He was leaving her for the last time.

"Don't think about me, Hermione," Hermione suddenly heard inside her head, "I'm gone, get over me, and try to live your life without regret. I know It'll be hard, but maybe one day you'll snap out of this memory loss thing and begin to see sense."

Hermione sighed and nodded, closing her eyes. Minutes later, she opened them again, to find the tall red-head that had been beside her bed had departed. The room slid out of focus, and Hermione closed her eyes.

"_Promise?" _Ron's voice whispered, echoeing inside of her head. Hermione Granger smiled to herself, pulling the duvets over her head.

"I promise." She whispered, before falling asleep.


End file.
